Filing appliance.



H. B. WHITE.

FILING APPLIANCE.

APPucATlou man luNE 2|. 1909.

Patented Apr. 17,1917.

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APPLICATION FILED IUNE 21.1902I 1,223,228. PmntedApl'-.1?,1917.

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APPLlcATloN mso lune 21. |909.

1,223,228. Patented Apr. 17,1917.

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HARRY B. WHITE, OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR'TOSTEWART S. KURTZ, OF CANTON,

' OHIO.

FILING APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

Application mea June 21, 1909. serial ivo. 503,413.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I,HARRY B. WHITE, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of' Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filing Appliances, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to filing appliances, more particularly to credit account keeping appliances for the systematic ling of data or records. y

The invention has for its object to produce a filing appliance having a set or sets;v of superposed trays or holders with improved means for supporting, operating, and controlling them.

F or the purpose of illustration I have, in the drawings, shown and herein described, one form of ling appliance embodying my invention.

Figure l is a front elevation of a seriesy of sections or units embodying my invention.

Fig. 2V is a side elevation of a unit.

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary vertical sectional views, Fig. 3 showing the controlling devices locked, and Fig. l showing one of the trays extended.

Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 9 are fragmentary sectional views showing details of construction.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the trays. 1

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a 4section or unit, showing one of the trays extended.

In the drawings, l indicates a section or unit comprising two uprights or tray-supporting side frames la, l?. lb indicates a base or base plate adapted to connect and maintain the frames la, la, in parallelism.

1c indicates a suitable cover or connecting piece which may be provided for the upper end ofl each section or unit.

4 indicates a series of gravity actuated, freely slidable trays, each inclined downwardly toward its front end. Each tray l is preferably formed or stamped out of sheet metal, and is provided with a vname display portion an at its front end. The bottom of the tray 4l is cut on lines 4b, 4b, 4b, to forman overhanging lip or lips, as shown at 4i which serve to retain the slip or slips A which are inserted in the tray. The bottom is also formed with a linger opening 4d aperture or proj ection 4f near its' front end to'assist in removing the slip or slips from the tray.

5' indicates guides for the trays. These guides, asshown, preferably consist of downwardly inclined grooves formed in the inner faces or walls of the frames la, la. Two directlyk opposite grooves serve to receive, and their walls guide, the adjacent flanges 4"- carried by or formed integral with the adjoining longitudinal sides of each tray 4.

6 indicates a series of gravity actuated tray-controlling devices, one for each tray and arrangedY atone side thereof. Each of the devices'6 comprises a button or key 6a mounted on a stem 6b which is pivoted at 6 to some suitable part of one of the frames la, and a lock and release arm '6d carried by the stem and arranged to engage one wall of an aperture formed in or lug struck up from the adjacent tray' Bange or side wall, as shown at 4f. f

` 6 indicates a plate, preferably a U-shaped channel bar arranged at one'side of the trays and formed: with a series of elongated apertures 6", each of which is arranged to receive a control "stem 6b of one of the tray controlling devices 6.vr When `it is ,desired to insert or remove va piece of paper or `a sales slip from any particular tray, the button 6a corresponding'to that tray is pushed in, thus disengaging the arm 6d from the wall of the of the tray, which latter then immediately slides, under the influence of gravity, downwardly and forwardly on its guides 5. j y

7 Vindicates a series of dogs, one for each of the trays, and each preferably formed integral with a controlling stem 6b. 8 indicates a lock device preferably comprising a slidable rod, common to all of the dogs 7 and formed with a series of cut-away portions or recesses 8a, each normally in linef be arrested. by the front wall of the rod 8 l and. thus prevent the operation of the said shaft 9 rotatably mounted in the frames 1, v

an eccentric 9a, carried by the shaft and fitting an aperture 9b formed in the rod 8, and means,.10, for rocking the shaft. The'rota tion of the shaft 9 through its rocking means 10 shifts the eccentric 91L which latter'rnoves the rod 8 slightly in one direction and into position to prevent the operation of any one or all of the releasing devices for the trays. Upon the rotation of the shaft 9 in the opposite direc-tion, the rod 8 is moved back into normal position, whereupon each of the trays may be normally operated.

The rocking means 10 preferably comprises an arm 10iL fixed to the shaft 9 and a lock 10b having a sliding latch piece 10c connected with the arm 10a. By the insertion into the key hole of the lock 10b and the turning of a key 11, the latch piece 10c may be operated to rock the shaft 9 as hereinbefore desc-ribed.

It will be understood that the shaft 9 may extend through all or any number of the tray sections or units of a series, and when rotated, will operate to substantially simultaneously move the rods 8 o-f all the sections or units.

Where it is desired to have one or any number of the sections, each controlled by an individual locking mechanism for the section, it will be understood that this may be readily accomplished, for example, each section may have its own independent shaft 9 separate entirely from similar shafts or mechanisms in any of the other sections, which individual shaft 9 is connected by an eccentric mechanism to the locking bar 8 for its respective series, and is operated by rocking means 10 and a key 11, such as hereinbefore described.

18 indicates a yielding projecting or buffer lug carried by each of the trays, and 14 indicate-abutments carried by one of the frames 1, one for each tray 4. In the drawings l have shown the projection 13 as being a spring, which, when it engages with its respective abutment 14 is adapted to absorb the shock of such engagement, the resiliency of the spring serving this purpose. It will be understood that any suitable form of bufiing or cushioningdevices may be substituted for those illustrated. When a tray 4 is released it freely slides downwardly and outwardly until stopped by the projection 13 engagingan abutment 14.

I preferably provide means for rigidly supporting each tray when in its exposed position, that is, at the end of its downward and forward movement after beingarrested by vvan abutment 14. rl'Ghis is preferably accomplished by having the flanges 4e or their equivalent, extend rearward a suficient distance in the guides 5 after the forward movement of the tray has been arrested, to provide a bearing for the tray behind the front edges of the side frames and against the upper walls of the grooves, which will insure a relatively firm holding` of the tray against the movement of its front end downward and rearward around the horizontal line common to the front ends of the grooves, as an axis.

For economys sake 4f, prefer to stamp the trays 4, including all parts bodily movable therewith, with .the possible exception of the index holder,.from`a single piece of sheet metal, as shown in the drawings.

From the foregoingdescription it will be seen that each of the trays automatically operates upon the operation of its controlling` device, that the trays of each section or unit can be all locked andv unlocked simultaneously by a common locking device, and that each tray is supported rigidly in an inclined position when exposed or released by its controlling device. By this latter construction it will be understood that the tray when exposed may operate as a backing or support, sufficiently rigid, so that changes or additions may be made directly upon a piece of paper or sales slip in the tray without removing it therefrom.

It will be observed that each of the controlling devices 6 is so pivoted with respect to its button that the weight of the button normally tends to rotate the stem so as to throw the arm into engagement with the walls of thel recess or the projection of its respective tray. In other words, the gravity action of each button on its respective controlling device is such as to at all times normally return the said device to its normal tray-engaging and holding position.

' l am aware of the fact that heretofore a filing appliance has been devised having a series of superposed downwardly and `forwardly inclined slidable trays, Eaccess to which was obtained from the front end thereof, such for example, as shown in Letters Patent of the United States No. 788,164, to Perry A.. llfcCaskey, and No. 844,888 to W. M. Ellett and Rollo M. Vick. In these constructions, however, the trays were not freely movable and normally slidable under the action of gravity forwardly and downwardly incidentally upon the withdrawal or removal of their respective retaining devices. In fact, they had to be manually drawn into exposed position. The object of my invention has been to devise a simple filing applivance, economical of construction, having relatively few parts, and with a series of trays each of which would. be automatically delivered into' exposed position upon the release of a simple button'control mechanism.

To those skilled in the art of making articles of the class described, many alterations in construction and widely diifering embodiments and applications ofmy invention will suggest themselves, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. My disclosures and the description therein are purely illustrative, and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

IVhat I claim is- 1.*In a filing appliance, the combination of a series of trays, means for slidably supporting each of the trays in inclined position whereby it is free to slide outwardly and downwardly under the infiuenoe of gravity, means for-controlling the locking and releasing of each of the trays, and means connnon to all of the said controlling means for preventing the operation of the latter.

2. In a filing appliance, the combination of a series of trays, means for slidably supporting each of the trays in inclined position whereby it is free to slide outwardly and downwardly under the influence of gravity, means for controlling the locking and releasing of each of the trays, and slidable means common to all of the said controlling means for preventing the operation of the latter.

3. In a filing appliance, the combination of a series of sections or units each comprising a series of gravity operated slidable trays, means for controlling the locking and releasing of each tray in each section, and a device common to the locking and releasing means of each tray section or unit for preventing the operation of the said tray-controlling` means, and a single mechanism for operating the said devices.

4. A freely slidable tray, a button exposed adjacent to the front of said tray, means for swingably supporting said button, and controlling means interposed between said button and the tray and arranged to engage the tray to hold it in closed position, the said means being operable by the button to release the tray and said button being actu-A ated by gravity to normally maintain said controlling means in locking position.

5. In a` filing appliance, the combination of a series of trays, means for freely and slidably supporting each tray in an inclined position whereby it is moved into exposed position under the action of gravity, a device for locking and releasing each tray, a dog connected with each locking and releasing device, and means common to all of said dogs and cooperating therewith to control the operation ofthe locking and releasing devices.

6. In a filing appliance, the combination of ay series of trays, means for freely and slidably supporting each tray in an inclined position whereby it is moved into exposed position under the action of gravity, a device for locking and releasing each tray, a dog connected with each locking and releasingA device, a rod formed with a series of recesses in one of its walls, each of which is alined with and is adapted to receive a dog in the normal operation of the locking and releasing devices, and means for operating said rod to vmove the recesses out of alinement witlrthe said dogs whereby the dogs will engage with a wall of the rod and prevent the operation of the locking and releasing devices.

7. In combination, a series of trays, means for slidably supporting the trays in an inclined position, the said means permitting the trays to move freely endwise, whereby they are arranged to slide downwardly and outwardly under the influence of gravity, and a pivoted device, having an operating button, for locking and releasing each tray,

said button serving as a weight to normally maintain the locking and releasing device in position to lock the adjacent tray against movement downwardly when it is moved upwardly and inwardly.

' 8. In a filing appliance, the combination of a series of trays, means for slidably supporting each of the trays in inclined position whereby it is free to slide outwardly and downwardly under the influence of gravity, means for controlling the locking and releasing of each of the trays, devices for preventing the operation of the control-. ling means, and means for operating the said devices.

9. In a filing appliance, the combination of a series of trays, means for slidably supporting each of the trays in inclined position whereby it is free to slide outwardly and downwardly under the influence of gravity, means for 'controlling the locking and releasing of each of the trays, devices for preventing the operation of the controlling means, and eccentrically operated means for operating the said devices.

10. In appara-tus of the class described, the combination of a casing comprising a pair of spaced supports provided with alined inclined guides, a series of trays arranged between said supports and each mounted ,in and freely slidable endwise in a pair of alined guides under the influence of gravity, and a series of pivoted members, one for each tray, for locking and releasing the said trays, each pivoted member comprising ya pair of arms, one of said arms being arranged to engage with and lock the adjacent tray in closed position and the free end of the other arm being weighted and serving normally to maintain the lock arm of said member in locking position. l

1l. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a pair of spaced supports provided 'with alined inclined guides, a

series of trays arranged between said supports and each mounted in and freely slidable endwise in a pair of alined guides under the influence of gravity, a series of pivoted members, one for each tray, for looking and releasing` the said trays, each pivoted member comprising` an arm arranged to engage with and look the adjacent tray in closed position, an arm by which said member is operated to release the look arm thereof from the adj aeent tray and a separate arm,

and means common to said members and movable into position to be engaged by said separate 'arms for preventing the operation of said members. 15

ln testimony whereof I aliX my signature,

in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

HARRY B. WHITE. Witnesses W. C. SGHICK, CHAs. M. BALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

